Fire-escape.



Patented Aug. l9, I902. D. NEALE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

( Applicatiun flied Mar. 25, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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"ma Norms PETERS co PHOYO-LIYHOQ WASHINGTON u. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID NEALE, OF FORT CALHOUN, NEBRASKA.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,346, dated August19, 1902.

Application filed March 26,1902. Serial No. 99,963. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID NEALE, of the city of Fort Calhoun, Washingtoncounty, State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a full, clear,and, exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to fire-escapes; and it consists of the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter shown,described, and claimed.

My object is to produce an improved fireescape; and my inventionconsists of a suitable frame, a carrying-shaft mounted in the frame, acarrying-rope attached to the carrying-shaft and adapted to be woundthereon, a carrying-shaft speed-governor attached to the carrying-shaft,a brake connected to the carrying-shaft, a brake-rope connected to thebrake, a carrying-frame attached to the opposite end of thecarrying-rope from the carrying-shaft,a brake-shaft mounted in saidcarrying-frame, said brake-rope being attached to and wound upon saidbrake-shaft,and a brakerope speed-governor upon said brake-shaft.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the operation of my improvedfire-escape, parts being broken away to economize space, other partsbeing broken away to show the construction. Fig. 2 is a top plan View ofthe frame in which the carrying-shaft is mounted, parts being brokenaway to illustrate the construction. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of thebrake-controlling mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the frame, comprising the endpieces 4 and the casing 5, is mounted upon the base 6, and a door 7provides access to the end of the case in which the governor operates,and a slot 8 provides access through the casing to the end of the shaftupon which the carrying-rope is wound. The carrying-shaft 9 is mountedin the frame, and the carrying-rope 10 is passed through the slot 8 andattached to the shaft and adapted to be wound thereon.

The carrying-shaft speed-governor com prises the four pairs of arms 11,fixed to the shaft 9 and extending radially therefrom, and thecentrifugal weights l2, slidingly mounted upon said arms, the outer onesof said weights being curved to fit the inner face of the casing 5.

A crank 13 serves as a means of operating the shaft 9 to wind up therope 10. The brake-wheel14 is fixed upon the opposite end of the shaftfrom the crank, and the brakeband 15 is attached to the pin 16,extending from the frame, and extends around the wheel and over'the pin17, and the brakerope 18 is attached to the free end of the brake-band.

The carrying-rope 10 extends upwardly over the pulley 19 and thenoutwardly and downwardly through the window 20, and the carrying-frame21 is attached to the lower end of said rope, said carrying-frame havingstirrups 22 at its lower end and a strap 23 to encircle the body underthe arms.

The brake-shaft frame 24 is fixed upon the upper end of thecarrying-frame 21. The brake-shaft 25 is mounted in said frame, saidbrake-rope 18 being attached to and wound upon said shaft, said ropepassing over the pulley 26, mounted upon the window-sill. The brake-ropespeed-governor 27 is mounted upon one end of the shaft 25 and isidentical in construction with the carrying-shaft speedgovernor.

In practical operation when a person is in danger of fire thecarrying-frame 21 is attached to the body by placing the feet in thestirrups 22 and placing the strap 23 around under the arms, and then theperson will climb out of the window, and when the person lets go of thewindow-sill the carryingrope 10 will sustain the weight and lower theperson to the ground, the speed'of the descent being retarded by thecentrifugal force of the weights 12 against the inner face of the casing5 and by the strain of the brake-rope 18 upon the brake-band 15 againstthe brakewheel 14. The strain of the brake-rope 18 will be regulated bythe brakerope speedgovernor 27, and if this is not sufficient the personmay manually engage the rope 18, and, if desired, the descent may bestopped at any point by pulling the rope 18 to set the brake.

I claim 1. A fire escape comprising a suitable frame; a carrying-shaftmounted in the frame;

a carrying rope attached to the carryingshaft and adapted to be woundthereon; a carrying-shaft speed-governor attached to the carrying shaft;a brake connected to the shaft; a brake-rope connected to the brake; acarrying-frame attached to the opposite end of the carrying-rope fromthe carrying-shaft; a brake-shaft mounted in said carrying-frame, saidbrake-rope being attached to and wound upon said brake-shaft; and abrake-rope speed-governor upon said brake-shaft, substantially asspecified.

2. In a fire-escape, the base 6; the casing 5 mounted upon the base; theend pieces 4 closing the casing; the door 7 providing access to one endof the casing; the slot 8 providing access to the other end of thecasing; the carrying-shaft 9 mounted in the hearings in the end pieces4:; the carrying-rope 1O wound upon the shaft and passing outwardlythrough the slot 8; the arms 11 extending radially from the shaft 9; thecentrifugal Weights 12 slidingly mounted upon said arms to engage theinner face of the casing; the brake-wheel 1 fixed upon the shaft 9; thebrake-band 15 engaging the brake-wheel; the brake-rope 18 attached tothe brake-band; the carrying-frame 21 attached to the lower end of thecarrying-rope; a brake-shaft mounted in the carrying-frame upon which Ithe brake-rope is wound; and a governor controlling the brake shaft,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.7

DAVID NEALE.

\Vitnesses:

SEMER G. TELLS, VIRGINIA L. THOMPSON.

